[Back Post] Kyushu with Momiji, Day 8~9: Yakushima & Shiratani Unsuikyo

Momiji at the Tsukazaki tide pools, Yakushima (on IG).

And finally, we get to Yakushima屋久島, the raison d'être of this Kyushu road trip! We were there for the ancient yakusugi屋久杉 trees that are found only on Yakushima. Parts of Yakushima belong to the Yakushima National Park屋久島国立公園, and the island's interior, which contains its famed yakusugi, is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Yakushima's cedar forest is Japan's first UNESCO World Heritage site, together with Shirakami Sanchi virgin beech forest in Aomori, up in northern Tohoku.

We spent about 2 full days and 2 nights in Yakushima, and caught the morning flight on the 3rd day back to Kagoshima. For our first time on the island, it was enough time for us to get a taste of Yakushima. We spent the 1st day familiarising ourselves with the place, and catching various sights on the island. The 2nd day was solely for Shiratani Unsuikyo, the main highlight of our trip to Yakushima. As huge fans of Hayao Miyazaki's work, Hubby and I have long wanted to come here. But more on that later.

Hubby's colleague asked us if it was difficult to get to Yakushima. Honestly, it's not difficult to get there, relatively speaking. There are several flights a day from Kagoshima. Though flights to, and hotel accommodation on Yakushima, can be expensive, there are budget options like staying at a backpacker's or budget B&B. In some ways, Yakushima reminded me of Uluru, when we visited in 2008; likewise, not difficult to get there, but can be expensive for similar reason: captive market... Yakushima's airport also reminded of the one at Alice Springs: small, one-strip, purely functional.

Kagoshima Airport, morning flight to Yakushima (on IG).

On landing, we were picked up by a staff member from our rental car company on Yakushima. The company was conveniently located near Yakushima Airport, and the staff were super friendly and helpful. When they learnt it was our first time in Yakushima, they lent us a booklet containing all sorts of useful information and maps. We also stopped at the nearest tourist centre for more information. The staff there was also very friendly and helpful.

Yakushima Day 1

We kept our 1st day in Yakushima free and easy, so we could just explore the island and town itself. Our first stop of the day was the Yakusugi Museum屋久杉自然館 (Google Maps) located at Anbo安房, along the way to the Yakusugi Land hiking trails.

Yakusugi Museum, Yakushima (on IG).

The Yakusugi Museum is a nature museum, and its main focus is on the yakusugi, and the history of Yakushima's foresting industry. It was a good way to begin our experience with the ancient giants founds only on this island. To me, it was worth a stop just to see the museum's interesting interior and its star exhibit, a branch of the Jomon-sugi. The entire interior of the museum is made with cedar wood, and the floor was made solely of blocks of cedar. Although the signage were mostly in Japanese, the front desk provided us with English talkie pens. And if even that fails, there's actually a fair bit of information on the Internet.

Why is the yakusugi special? It is considered so because of its age and longevity. I would also add that it also has a beautiful grain, and qualities that make it special, but more on this below. The cedar tree (Cryptomeria), called sugi in Japanese, is Japan's national tree, and it grows all over Japan. However, cedar trees generally have an average lifespan of 500 years. Yakusugi are cedars that have lived for over 1,000 years. That's a millennium. Cedars that are younger than 1,000 years are called kosugi小杉 by the Yakushima locals. Putting things into perspective: a yakusugi tree would have been around longer than any Japanese historical period (in fact, none have passed the 500-year mark). Even the Zhou dynasty, the longest in Chinese history, did not last 1,000 years. Mother Nature is amazing.

Momiji with the Jomon-sugi branch at Yakusugi Museum, Yakushima (on IG).

Taking central stage in the museum is the large yakusugi branch that the locals call Inochi no eda命の枝, the "branch of life". This branch itself is 1,000 years old, and broke off the Jomon-sugi縄文杉 in 2005. Estimated to be between 3,000 to 7,200 years old, and measuring 25.3m in height and 16.4m in trunk circumference, the Jomon-sugi is Yakushima's oldest and largest yakusugi. This branch is considered to be an important clue to the Jomon-sugi's age and environment. If the tree is really around 7,000 years old, wouldn't that make it as ancient as some of the world's oldest civilisations? Goodness, it's more ancient than Japanese civilisation in Japan itself!

Annual growth rings of a 1,660 year old yakusugi, Yakusugi Museum, Yakushima (on IG).

Fascinated with a display of the cross-section of a 1,660 year old yakusugi, which clearly displays its annual growth rings. So, close to the centre of the cross-section, the stump has 500 annual growth rings that are very close together (500 rings within a 37cm diameter area). The tight growth rings means that this period of growth was extremely slow. The yakusugi have tight grain, as its annual growth rings are generally close, compared to those of other cedars found elsewhere in Japan.

The tight growth rings indicate a slow period of growth for this yakusugi, Yakusugi Museum, Yakushima (more on IG).

The yakusugi grows slowly but lives a long life, and its longevity is because of the harsh conditions of its environment. It's a hard life growing on Yakushima. The island is mainly granite rock with high/heavy rainfall and frequent typhoons. Granite rock weathers very slowly into sandy soil (thus, thin soil layer and low water-holding capacity). All of which means low nutrition soil. Thus the yakusugi grow so slowly. The yakusugi also have high resin content due to the high rainfall and humidity on the island, making it highly resistant to decay and disease. The resin is what gives it that sheen and aroma. Cedars from other parts of Japan do not have these features.

Stacks of hiragi, roof shingles made from yakusugi trees, Yakusugi Museum, Yakushima.

From the Edo period to the 1970s, yakusugi was prized as a light, water-resistant material due to its high resin content. Prior to the Edo period, however, the locals held the interior of Yakushima in reverence, considering it the realm of the kami and therefore sacred. That changed in the Edo period when the daimyo of the Satsuma Domain (present-day Kagoshima), the Shimazu clan (see Sengan-en, on Day 11), asked for annual taxes in yakusugi instead of rice. No doubt the Shimazu wished to exploit the island's yakusugi resources, and the Japanese timber industry has been a lucrative one since the Nara period.

Exploitation of these ancient trees thus began and yakusugi was often used for ships, temples, as well as roof shingles called hiragi平木 (literally "flat wood"). During the Edo period, a large number of hiragi were regularly sent as annual tax to the Shimazu clan. Excess timber was traded for rice and other goods, and became the main income source for Yakushima locals. From around 1640, large-scale logging took place, and the yakusugi trade was controlled by the Shimazu clan.

Edo period logging tools used to cut down yakusugi trees.

Logging tools and hand implements used to cut yakusugi during the Edo period. Many were produced in the Tosa Province (present-day Kochi Prefecture) and used all over Kyushu. In that era, it took immense labour to fell and transport a tree through the steep, rocky mountain paths. So, the locals would fell the tree and split it into hiragi on site, using a variety of wood-cutting tools. (All of this done manually, since mechanised tools were yet to be invented or introduced to Japan.) They would then leave the remainder of the tree on site, and carry the hiragi down the mountain. As hiragi had to be flat and even, the loggers would select straight yakusugi trees. This is probably why most of the yakusugi trees that remain today are not straight.

The 20kg mechanised chainsaw that loggers started using to cut down yakusugi trees in the 1950s. 

The logging industry in Yakushima changed in 1956 with the introduction of the mechanised chainsaw. The one on display weighed 20kg! This 2m long tool resulted in massive felling of yakusugi on the island during Japan's high economic growth period. FYI, Hubby is 1.77m tall...and that 2m long saw just looks........

A domaiboku, Yakusugi Museum, Yakushima.

Some of the stumps of those felled trees can still be found in the forest, and are called domaiboku土埋木. (The term also refers to those naturally felled by typhoons or landslides.)

A box made of yakusugi wood, Yakusugi Museum, Yakushima.

Today, there aren't many living yakusugi left on Yakushima, and only one-fifth of Yakushima's ancient forest is left. Efforts to preserve the forest and yakusugi only really took off when the Jomon-sugi was found in 1966, and later in 1979 when a massive landslide caused by deforestation took place. It's now prohibited to cut down a living yakusugi, so items made of yakusugi come from domaiboku. Given its now limited supply, naturally, the higher the quality of the wood, the more expensive the item.

In a separate room was an exhibit of a karakuri mechanical device, crafted from cedar (kosugi). It was designed to be interactive, and we had a bit of fun time turning the wheel and watch the gears.

Karakuri mechanical device made from kosugi cedars, Yakusugi Museum, Yakushima.

After the Yakusugi Museum, we debated popping by the Yakushima World Heritage Conservation Centre屋久島世界遺産センター (Google Maps), a short walk from the Yakusugi Museum. But hunger calls, and we are the kind of people who tend to prioritise food over sights.

We consulted the little info booklet that our care rental company so kindly provided, and decided on having lunch at Kamogawaかもがわ (Google Maps), which is also in the Anbo area. It's a no-frills family restaurant that opened in 1969, and is popular with the locals. (In fact, our lunch during our Shiratani Unsuikyo hike (below) was from Kamogawa too.)

For lunch - flying fish (tobio) and sashimi set at Kamogawa, Yakushima.

"What the heck is this?" I thought. Kamenote for the 1st time.

Hubby and I had the flying fish and sashimi set. He opted for his fish to be grilled, and I had it fried. The set is very hearty and is filled with the island's local foods -- the flying fish (tobio飛び魚), broken-neck mackerel (kubiore saba首折れサバ) in sashimi form, and the small side dish of a kind of barnacle called kamenote亀の手. The name literally means "hand of turtle/tortoise", probably because of the way it looks.

So, seeing the kamenote, my first thought was "what the heck is this?" Well excuse my ignorance, but there is a first time for everything. And this was my first time eating kamenote -- Japanese goose barnacle or gooseneck barnacle. Apparently it's commonly eaten in southern Japan. The lady at Kamogawa told me the Japanese name, and with various gestures showed us how to eat it. Flavour-wise, it was curious...rather briny and some kind of meaty, shrimpy taste. Hubby did not care for it. I was rather neutral about it. Apparently it's not particularly popular with Japanese in general too.

Ryujin no Taki, Yakushima.

After lunch, we set off to visit a few of the many waterfalls on Yakushima. Along the way we missed Toroki no Takiトローキの滝 (Google Maps), but we didn't backtrack and just headed for Ryujin no Taki竜神の滝 (Google Maps). Pretty, but we could only view it from the road. It didn't look like there was no way to get up close.

Senpiro no Taki, Yakushima.

Senpiro no Taki, Yakushima.

Next was Senpiro no Taki千尋の滝 (Google Maps), which we viewed from afar at the observation point. Even from that distance, we could hear (faintly) the roar of the 60m tall waterfall. There was a lot of water pouring over the granite cliff, surely thanks to the recent continuous rain.

I think I was more amazed by the massive granite walls of the valley.The lower parts were not covered by vegetation and were smooth. Apparently, the cliff on the left of the falls is a massive slab of monolithic granite bedrock, which certainly explains its shape and smoothness.

The name Senpiro千尋 means "a thousand fathoms" and came from a local story that the granite wall was as wide as 1,000 people standing in a line. So, it would appear that people in the past were also rather in awe of those massive granite cliffs. I am beginning to appreciate how this island could inspire a story like Mononoke-hime, especially the themes and sentiments it evokes.

Before heading to the next waterfall on our list, we went in search of Hirauchi Kaichu Onsen平内海中温泉 (Google Maps), a natural hot spring on the rocky shore in southern Yakushima, which only appears for about 5 hours during low tide. Apparently, it has been used by the islanders for 400 years.

Unfortunately, for some inexplicable reason, we got lost. Getting lost is hard in Yakushima; there are so few roads, and the main road is a loop around the island. Somehow we ended up much farther along the main road at the Tsukazaki tide pools塚崎タイドプール (Google Maps).

At the Tsukazaki tide pools, Yakushima (on IG).

Tsukazaki tide pools, Yakushima (on IG).

Not quite low tide while we were there, but apparently this area is teeming with those creatures one sees at low tide.

Momiji at Ohko no Taki, Yakushima (on IG).

Our last sight for the day was Ohko no Taki大川の滝 (Google Maps), which is on the list of Japan's 100 best waterfalls. Now we could get up close to this 88m tall waterfall, and the spray felt really cool and nice.

Ohko no Taki, Yakushima (on IG).

Feeling rather adventurous, I climbed up the granite boulders at the base to get closer, and was rewarded with a view of the water cascading into a deep, teal coloured pool. We stayed at this spot for as long as we could, but had to leave soon in order to get to our hotel before the light completely faded. And before the cut-off time for dinner!

Since we were already on the west side of Yakushima, we decided to go through the Seibu Rindo西部林道 (literally, Western Forest Path) to get to our hotel. We initially thought that 12km section would be the faster way to our hotel instead of driving back through the more populated and developed eastern side.

Yakushima deer (yakushika), Seibu Rindo (on IG).

Going by Seibu Rindo was indeed shorter, but it wasn't faster. We had to drive at a fairly constant low speed limit and had to stop a few times, as it is a protected area with a lot of wildlife. And we're talking about wildlife that isn't accustomed to moving away when a vehicle approaches. No wonder the recommended speed limit is, like, around 25km/h, below even the island's 50km/h.... Seibu Rindo seems to be where the island's wildlife hang out. Every few meters we saw Yakushima deer and monkeys -- locally called yakushika屋久鹿 (a subspecies of the Sika deer) and yakuzaruヤクザル (Yakushima macaque) respectively.

Seibu Rindo is Monkey Kingdom. Lots of Yakushima macaques (on IG).

It's estimated that there are 6,000-8,000 yakuzaru on the island. It feels like most of them are here along Seibu Rindo. They are smaller than their close mainland relatives, the Japanese macaques, and have thicker fur coats. Likewise for the yakushika. I wonder why. Is it for protection against the wetter weather in Yakushima?

This one's like a king. It just wouldn't budge (on IG).

Watching the monkeys and the deer, I thought of Mononoke-hime, and speculated that perhaps Miyazaki came down Seibu Rindo as well. A humorous thought crossed my mind, and I almost suggested that if we stayed until night-time, perhaps we could catch a glimpse of the Shishigami. Though it was apes, rather than macaques, in the film. Seibu Rindo is said to teem with other Yakushima wildlife, but since we were going through in a car in the setting sun, we didn't catch any others.

We did finally make it to our hotel just at sunset, and just in time for dinner. Phew!

Yakushima Day 2

Our 2nd day on Yakushima, and we were finally at Shiratani Unsuikyo白谷雲水峡, the star of our entire Kyushu trip. The most popular trail in Yakushima, the ravine is 424 hectares of pristine virgin forest with many yakusugi and clear waters, and is part of the area that is UNESCO World Heritage designated. There are a few hiking courses, and we attempted the Taikoiwa course, mainlysolely because it was the only course that took us to the moss-covered forest that inspired Hayao Miyazaki for Mononoke-hime. (Yes, call this a minor anime pilgrimage.) The Taikoiwa course is about 5.6km and involves some steep spots, especially after the moss-covered forest, and the estimated time was between 2.5 hours to 4 hours for the entire route. We knew that we wouldn't be able to complete the entire route, and definitely not within 4 hours. But we were able to make it to the moss-covered forest!

Although it's said that a guide isn't necessary, we decided to hire one, just to be safe. Our guide was Wada Akihiro-san of Yakushima Geographic Tour. Akihiro-san is super friendly, fluent in both English and French. He told us that he originally hailed from Tokyo (born and bred Tokyoite) but after a while as a salaryman, he visited Yakushima on a vacation, decided to remain there, and set up a business as a licensed guide with his friend (also a licensed guide). As he guided us through the trail, he pointed out various sights to us, and told us stories about Yakushima. As we'd visited the Yakusugi Museum the day before (above), I already knew some of the basic information, but nothing beats a local telling you stories, as you see the actual forest up close. (Speaking of getting lost, here's a post by Simone Armer, who took some awesome photos, while getting lost on the much more difficult Arakawa trail.)

Shirotae no Taki, in the background. Shiratani Unsuikyo, Yakushima.

At the entrance of Shiratani Unsuikyo is a view of a small waterfall called Shirotae-no-Taki白たえの滝, and the Shiratani River flowing through large granite boulders. Resemblance to some scenes in Mononoke-hime perhaps?

Screenshot of Ashitaka saving injured Irontown men (at 00:21:41) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Mononoke-hime, Studio Ghibli, 1997.

A little farther down, there was a large, flat patch of rock where we crossed the river. The water was crystal clear, and we could see right down to the riverbed.

The clear waters of the Shiratani River, Shiratani Unsuikyo, Yakushima (on IG).

This scene also reminds me of some river scenes in Mononoke-hime. Though perhaps the trails at Yakusugi Land seem more similar (see here and here). I feel like we're only scratching the surface of Yakushima's natural treasures.

Screenshot of Ashitaka and Yakul (at 00:21:21) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Mononoke-hime, Studio Ghibli, 1997.

Akihiro-san told us that the water is pure, and can be drank directly from various streams in the ravine. Indeed, when we stopped for lunch much later during our hike, we drank some from a nearby stream before refilling our bottles. The water was delicious, soft, clear and naturally cold. I think its softness might even surpass that of Aso's spring water (see Day 4)? Yakushima's spring waters, most of which originate from Mt Miyanoura, are also on Japan's list of 100 meisui.

Nidai-osugi, Shiratani Unsuikyo, Yakushima.

Not far long down the trek we came to the cedar, a kosugi the locals call the Nidai-osugi二代大杉, literally "2nd generation cedar". Technically, most of the forest's cedars are 2nd generation cedars, kosugi. This kosugi is considered unique because the tree itself has grown over the first generation cedar stump, its roots completely engulfing the stump of the first generation.

Hiryu-otoshi Falls, Shiratani Unsuikyo, Yakushima.

Further down the trail, we came upon the Hiryu-otoshi飛竜落とし Falls. Thanks to the recent week of rain in Yakushima, a high volume of water was coming down the falls, making it a lovely (and noisy) sight. The sides of the waterfall were straight, and looked like they were carved out of a single granite slab.

Given that Shiratani Unsuikyo's fame is mainly because of its connection to Mononoke-hime, it's a topic that pops up right at the start, all the time. For us, at the start of the hike, we had a fairly long chat with Akihiro-san about Hayao Miyazaki's works, as well as other anime and manga. It was nice that he remembered that my no.1 favourite Miyazaki film is actually Naushika, and took a moment to point out an odd shaped mossy stump to me (below).

Shiratani Unsuikyo, Yakushima. A resemblance to the Ohmu in Naushika?

Akihiro-san said that this moss-covered stump reminds him of the Ohmu in Naushika, in particular the scene where Nausicaa finds the shed Ohmu shell in the Sea of Corruption, with the moss, fungus, etc. toxic plants growing all over the place.

Screenshot of the Ohmu shell that Nausicaa finds in the Sea of Corruption (at 00:05:36) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Kaze no Tani no Naushika, Studio Ghibli, 1984.

The shape does kind of remind me of the Ohmu, but I also thought of Okkoto-nushi in Mononoke-hime.

Screenshot of Okkoto-nushi (at 00:03:29) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Mononoke-hime, Studio Ghibli, 1997.

The right side of the stump seems to be rather snout-shaped, and the branches are rather like tusks... Or is it just my imagination?

Shiratani Unsuikyo.

Beautiful moss in Shiratani Unsuikyo, Yakushima (on IG).

Screenshot of a kodama on a mossy rock in the Cedar Forest (at 00:23:20) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Mononoke-hime, Studio Ghibli, 1997.

Little streams flowing between moss covered boulders, moss covered trees with tangled roots, moss covered fallen trunks. What's missing are the kodama.

A rather large stump of a yakusugi cut down long ago, Shiratani Unsuikyo (on IG).

At a point, the trail curved around and over the leftover stump of a yakusugi tree that had been cut down long ago. Though nowhere near the size of the famed Wilson's Stump, it was still large.

Another clear, running stream in Shiratani Unsuikyo.

We passed another rushing stream. The guides weren't kidding when they said you could pretty much not worry about refilling your bottle along the trail. I can't help but see scenes of Mononoke-hime in the scenery before me, though the granite boulders aren't as large.

Screenshot of Jigo crossing the river in the Cedar Forest (at 01:04:35) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Mononoke-hime, Studio Ghibli, 1997.

We plodded along slowly and finally got to the Kugurisugiくぐり杉, a kosugi that is unique because its roots have split to form an arch. Hikers can actually walk through that arch.

Kugurisugi, Shiratani Unsuikyo (more on IG).

Since my head was full of Mononoke-hime, I almost thought of the tree as the Shishigami, in its Night Walker form, stalking through the forest. But of course, that's just me being silly.

Our bamboo leaf wrapped bento lunch from Kamogawa.

Close by the Kugurisugi was a rest stop, with restrooms. We stopped for lunch here. Akihiro-san produced a bamboo leaf-wrapped bento that he got from Kamogawa (the same place we lunched at on our first day here).

It was simple fare -- onigiri, satsuma-age, karaage and tamagoyaki -- but boy did it taste good after our hike. We washed lunch down with miso soup. It was pure pleasure to end the meal with a drink of the pure water from the nearby stream. The spring water was naturally cold, and it felt so good when I splashed my sweaty face and neck with it. Great way to refill our bottles too.

Further down the trail, we got to the yakusugi called the Nanahon-sugi七本杉, which literally means "7 hon cedar", hon being a Japanese measure word for cylindrical objects. Apparently the main trunk snapped and the branches grew upwards, forming a crown of limbs over the top.

Nanahon-sugi, Shiratani Unsuikyo.

So we counted only 5 such limbs. Akihiro-san told us that the branches probably fell due to the heavy rains (common in Yakushima), leaving behind the 5. Hubby jokingly said that maybe it should be renamed the Gohon-sugi五本杉 instead, much to Akihiro-san's amusement. From a certain angle, the tree looks like a hand outstretched towards the sky.

Nanahon-sugi, Shiratani Unsuikyo (on IG).

The mossy base has some resemblance to the moss-covered ancient cedars in Mononoke-hime's Cedar Forest perhaps?

Screenshot of the Cedar Forest (at 01:12:18) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Mononoke-hime, Studio Ghibli, 1997.

Maybe a better resemblance to some of the other yakusugi like the Bugyo-sugi奉行杉, or the Buddha-sugi仏陀杉 in Yakusugi Land (see it on Yakushima Life and Yakumonkey)....

The moss covered forest that inspired Mononoke-hime, Shiratani Unsuikyo (on IG).

We finally made it to the moss-covered forest (the kokemusu-mori苔むす森) that served as inspiration for Mononoke-hime. Akihiro-san told us that the forest is usually much more verdant and mossy, but a lot of the moss had been washed off by the heavy rainfall over the past few days. The same rains also felled trees, flooded parts of the ravine, and left some hikers stranded, prompting the JSDF to send in helicopters to the rescue! (Explains the JSDF helicopter we saw at the airport on Day 1.) Parts of the Bugyo-sugi hiking course were partially flooded too, due to the past week of rain.

Screenshot of the Cedar Forest (at 00:25:41) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Mononoke-hime, Studio Ghibli, 1997.

Miyazaki and main artist Kazuo Oga were said to have visited the place several times for inspiration, and that Oga spent hours there drafting as preparation for the film. It is also said that at least 200 shades of green were used to depict the forest's deep green as accurately as possible.

Shiratani Unsuikyo (on IG).

Akihiro-san pointed to a large tree stump, and said he could see some resemblance to Okkoto-nushi.

Screenshot of the Okkoto-nushi learning from Ashitaka of Nago's demise in the Cedar Forest (at 01:11:08) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Mononoke-hime, Studio Ghibli, 1997.

Large and bristling with branches, like his huge tusks perhaps? There is certainly some resemblance. Whether it did serve as inspiration for Okkoto-nushi, I don't know that for a fact.

Sadly, I didn't have a kodama on hand to use as a photo prop. And I'd decided to leave Momiji back at our hotel room. A small point that I totally regret (and still do!!!). I guess this means I have to go back. Oh heck, I want to anyway.

The moss covered forest that inspired Mononoke-hime, Shiratani Unsuikyo.

We sat down on a rock nearby to rest, and to take in the view. The place (as in the entire forest as a whole) does evoke a sense of ancientness, awe and reverence. Like a timeless place that just is. It was not difficult to imagine that this was once a realm of the kami. Or maybe still is? It certainly sometimes seem like kami reside in those moss-covered roots, rocks, waters and trees.

Shiratani Unsuikyo.

While resting, we debated what to do next. I wasn't totally winded, but Hubby's knees had already given out by this point. Though we were close to the end, the trail from the moss-covered forest gets pretty steep, and so there was no way we could continue on to Taikoiwa in Hub's current condition. A real pity as I read that the view from the rock is amazing. Also, seeing pictures of it, the view seems to resemble a scene from Mononoke-hime.

Taikoiwa, Shiratani Unsuikyo. Photo from Inside Japan.

Screenshot of Ashitaka overlooking the Cedar Forest (at 01:19:38) from Hayao Miyazaki's anime film Mononoke-hime, Studio Ghibli, 1997.

The scene I have in mind is the one where Ashitaka gazes out into the Cedar Forest on the night before the Moro's clan and the Boar clan begin their attack on Irontown. Though the rock itself isn't the same, the view looks similar (see also this Tofugu article). Time to get fit so I can make it to the end the next time. And there will be a next time. Or at least I hope so.

For the most part back, Hubby needed to use a hiking pole. As the route loops back the same way we came, we had to once again traverse the historic trail that was made up of rough hewn stones (great photographs in this Randomwire post). Short sections were steep. I couldn't help thinking of the islanders during the Edo period, going up and down the ravine, wearing nothing but straw or wooden sandals, carrying loads of hiragi or cut wood on their backs. No mean feat when one remembers that Yakushima is the wettest location in Japan. Apparently, it's so wet that a local joke is that it rains 35 days a month in Yakushima. (It doesn't, of course.)

Yakushima matcha soft serve at Hachimanju Chaen (on IG).

After we got back to the trail's entrance, Akihiro-san took us to Hachimanju Chaen八万寿茶園 (Google Maps) for some delicious Yakushima matcha soft serve. The place is a tea shop that sells pesticide-free green tea and matcha produced in Yakushima. The matcha soft serve came in a cone and a small cup of iced green tea. The soft serve was amazingly cheap, and really delicious! Liked it so much that we came back again on Day 10 before our departure back to Kagoshima. I rather regret not buying a few packs of their green tea as souvenirs. I have to admit that I struggled to choose because there were many green tea products in a variety of packaging (from the chiyogami tea caddies to packets). So, I am telling myself "next time". (I seem to be saying this a lot on this trip!)

After that Akihiro-san dropped us back at our hotel, where we slowly limped back to our room. Our hike was over, but my mind was still filled with memories of our day. Despite how tired I felt, I very much wanted to go back. Granted we went at our own pace, and it did feel a little embarrassing that we kept getting passed by elderly hikers who didn't even seem to have broken a sweat! Throughout the hike, there were actually quite a lot of other hikers, but that wasn't surprising as Shiratani Unsuikyo is very popular. I had read up ahead of the trip and saw some complaints about it being crowded or touristy. To be honest, I didn't really feel that way during our hike. Perhaps we weren't there on a super busy day. Nonetheless, the hikers we passed were generally friendly and patient. Everyone nodded, and said a friendly "konnichiwa" or "ganbatte" as they quietly went about their own way, or gave way to the faster hikers.

I want to go back. Not just to complete the Taikoiwa course, but also to try the other courses. That and it really is a beautiful place. Time to get back into shape!

Kyushu with Momiji, May 2019 ✈️ Day 0 • Singapore - Tokyo - Fukuoka 🚗 Day 1. Saga Prefecture (Route) • Yutoku Inari Shrine (Kashima) • Takezaki Kaisan (Tara) • Shiibasansou (Ureshino) 🚗 Day 2. Yame (Route) • Kitaya Brewery • Shutei Gin no Ka • Iwatoyama Kofun • Yame Traditional Craftwork Centre • Yame tea plantations • Yabe no Mori 🚗 Day 3. Kumamoto Prefecture (Route) • Tsuetate Onsen • Nabegadaki Falls • Ikeyama Suigen • Sozankyo 🚗 Day 4. Aso (Route) • Kusasenri • Daikanbo • Akaushidon Iwasaki • KAI Aso 🚗 Day 5. Takachiho (Route) • Takachiho Gorge • Takachiho Shrine • Ama no Iwato Shrine • Ama no Yasugawara Shrine (skipped) • Kunimigaoka (skipped) • Solest Takachiho • Restaurant Nagomi 🚗 Day 6. Aso & Kirishima (Route) • Kusasenri • Ramen Keika, Kumamoto • Kirishima Shrine • Kirishima Hotel 🚗 Day 7. Sakurajima (Route) • 100-Year Cedar Garden • Maruo Falls • Arimura Lava Observatory • Yunohira Viewpoint • Tsukiyomi Shrine • Sakurajima Michi-no-Eki Rest Stop, Hinoshima Megumikan • Karasujima Viewpoint • Nagisa Lava Trail • Nagisa Park Foot Baths • Kurokami Shrine • Kurokami Viewpoint • Sakurajima Ferry • Kagoshima wagyu at Gyu-do! ✈️ Day 8. Yakushima (Route) • Yakusugi Museum • Ryujin no Taki • Senpiro no Taki • Tsukasaki Tidal Pool • Ohko no Taki • Seibu Rindo • Yakushima Seaside Hotel 🚗 Day 9. Yakushima (Route) • Shiratani Unsuikyo • Hachimanju Cha-en ✈️ Day 10. Yakushima & Kagoshima (Route) • Suginoya • Yakushima Airport • Kurobuta tonkatsu at Mansaku, Aira • Miyama District (Miyama Toyukan & Chin Jukan Touen) • Shiroyama Viewpoint • Richmond Hotel Kagoshima Tenmonkan • Ramen Kuroiwa 🚗 Day 11. Kagoshima to Fukuoka (Route) • Sengan-en • Teru-zushi, Kitakyushu 🚅 Day 12. Fukuoka (Route) • Kushida Shrine • Hakata Traditional Craft and Design Museum • Hakata Riverain • Tenpyodo • Iwataya Annex • Canal City Hakata (Shodai Hidechan at Ramen Stadium, Hamleys) ✈️ Day 13. Tokyo • Hoshinoya Tokyo • Shopping • Sushi Nanba Asagaya ✈️ Day 14. Tokyo - Singapore • Sushi Kimura